A popular Chester short-cut with historic connections to the English Civil War (1642–1651) has been reopened after being closed for more than four-and-a-half years.

Rock Lane, often known locally as Rocky Lane, has been identified as part of Prince Rupert’s ‘great trench’ used by Royalist forces prior to the siege of Chester to move artillery around the city’s perimeter.

So an interpretation board has been installed explaining the history of the cut-through. And the new sign post also reflects the fact the public right of way was also known as ‘Prince Rupert’s Trench’ in its time.

Chester-based historian Rebecca Rideal, with expertise in the seventeenth century, was invited to cut the ribbon at a ceremony attended by deputy council leader Louise Gittins , ward member Richard Beacham and Civil War reenactor Ed Abrams among others.

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Rebecca, a former TV producer and author of a book about Prince Rupert, told The Chronicle: “Chester was a key location during the Civil War, it was a royalist city under siege. The Parliamentarians stopped supplies, they were attacking, at one point they tried to mount an attack on the Walls against the royalist strong-hold but were pushed back.

“Prince Rupert’s brother Prince Maurice was instrumental in staving off an attack for a long period of time. He thought that Chester had been secured so he left with hundreds and hundreds of Irish troops and they went on to fight the war in other locations. It left Chester quite vulnerable, there were only a few hundred soldiers left here but residents could bear arms as well.

“So they had to fight back against further Parliamentarian attacks until people were starving, the supplies weren’t coming through and the situation became untenable so in the end Chester, under Lord Byron, surrendered and it fell to the Parliamentarians.”

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A reconstruction drawing showing Prince Rupert inspecting the Great Trench

She said the trench itself was used to transport artillery when the royalists were still in charge of Chester before the siege in preparation for the expected battle to come.

The lane, which links Liverpool Road and Parkgate Road, had been closed since November 2012 after a wall collapsed following heavy rain.

Cheshire West and Chester Council stepped in to reinstate the fallen section of wall but hopes the alleyway would reopen quickly after were dashed after more structural problems came to light. However, responsibility for repairs was difficult to prove because of the complicated ownership situation.